Tobacco pipe cleaning device



Aug. 30, 1949.

G. TQTHOMAS TOBACCO PIPE CLEANING DEVICE Filed March 7, 1945 INVENTOR.

A ,TTOR/VEYS ing action.

Patented Aug. 30, 1949 UNITED STATES T O F F K: E 2,480,161 Tees e P es dem se DEVICE :Geerge "1. Thomas, Denyille, .VI. Application Match 7, 1941 Serial No. 652,675

. 1 V invent-ten relates to apparatus for c'l'e aning tobacco pipes; I I

"The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple deviceadaptable to the cleaning of pipe-misses, incliid-ing" ;both bowls and stems, through tne-simntaaeous action of mechanical 'scri ibbing and of solvent for the accumulated tobacco products.

Another object is to provide such a device adapted for use with practically all common tobacco pipes regardless of difference in size and shape.

further obect is to provide such a device with which a variety of brushes or other scrubhingelements niay be used, to suit varying conditions. l

A still .fu'rther -obect is to pro vide a device in the nature of a syringe having a brush holdscrubbing means so associated with the syringe that it isreriprocatedinithe orifice being cleaned when the syringe :is operated to effect the pump- "slihezsyringe', which may be of various types,is equipped with. an end :portion, surrounding its fluid-outlet; whinhisuso formed as to make fluid tight contact with pipe bowls or stems having *a widerange of sizes and a variety of configurations, This end portion is :of elastic material such as .rubberiformedas hereinafter described.

The invention will best be understood from a considerationflof the present preferred embodiments thereof, hereinafter described as illustrative of the inyention'; taken" conjunction with the drawingsin which:

Fig; 1 is a central section through one form of the device, inoperativ position on a pipe;

Fig. 2 as sirni-l-ar "view of another form of the device; l

A Fig.3 shows the device of Fig. l in position on .a pipe for cleaning the stem; I l

Fig. "4 is a section ongtheline 4-4 of Fig. 3-; Figg5 is aview through aport-ion of thersyringe and pipe stem taken at right angles to the View of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a detail, partly in section, showing the connection between the shaft of the syringe and the shaft of the brush or other scrubbing device.

5 Claims. (01. 131-243) 2 Referring to Fig. 1, it shows a pipe having a bowl '0 and a stern H through which is the usual bore 12 which conducts the smoke from the bottom of the bowl. The syringe here shown is in the term or a flexible and resilient bulb M generally ovalj-in cross-section and having a thickened end wall Hito increase the rigidity of this part of the huflb-.- Centrally disposed in this thickened portion, the bulb is provided with a fluid outlet 16 lined with a-fla-nged cylindrical bushing I! held in place by the resiliency of the bulb wall. Ex-

tending through the aperture in the bushing I1 is a shaft 18' which extends into-a second flanged bushing I 9 similarly secured in the opposite wall of the bulb. Thes'halft 18 may be permanently secured in the bushing win any suitable manner such as soldering. Surrounding the shaft i8 and extendingbetween the bushings 'I! and i9 is a compression spri-ng flfl which augments the normal tendency of. the bulb M to return to the shape shown after it has been deformedduring itsoperationas a syringe The lower end of the shafttlB is drilled and tapped, as shown in Fig. 6, to receivelthe threaded end of shaft 22 of a hat circularebrus'hfi 4.

z'The shaftJS fits loosely in the bushing I! so that :there is an annular space between these twmmembers .for the passage of fluid. Preferably; this space is made small enough so that fluid in the bulb. M will not run out when subjected only .to the force of gravity. Subject to this condition, the space. is made as large as possible. Due to th'zannular form of the space it has-a substantial cross-sectional area so as to provide an adequate flow of liquid for cleaning purposes when the syringe is actuated to provide a pumping Iaction. This actionis produced by grasping :the-bulhnearits thickened end [:5 between the fingers and placing the thumb .onthe upper bush- :ing .19 which is then pushed toward the pipe, de-

formin'gtthebuib FM and compressing the spring 20. This action drivesthe brush 24 downwardly -in-thep-ipebowl l0 and forces liquid out through the space, surrounding the shaft .18. When the pressureis released the resiliency of the bulb and of the spring 20., acting together, draws the brush upwardly in the pipe bowl, at the same time withdrawing any fluid is in contact with the outlet-in the syringe. Duringthis operation the pipe is so. held that-its stem is in an upright position so that does not run -out through the bore l2. By repeating this action for a number of strokes the interior of the bowl will be thoroughly brushed and at the same time flushed out with cleaning solution.

it will be understood that prior to use the bulb I4 will be filled with the desired quantity of solution by immersing its outlet end in a supp y of solution and manipulating the syringe to suck in the solution in the usual way.

Referring particularly to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the outlet end of the bulb is provided with a mouth portion generally indicated in Figs. 3 and 4 at 26. This portion is generally oval in cross-section as shown in Fig. 4 and terminates in an inwardlyextending lip 2'! so that it will closely grasp the end of a pipe stem. When used for cleaning a pipe stem the brush 24 is unscrewed from the shaft l8, and a long thin brush or scrubbing member 28, having the general shape of a common pipe-cleaner, is attached in place of the brush 24. When cleaning the stem the bulb is actuated in the same manner as when cleaning the bowl and the pipe is preferably held with the bowl in an upright position and at a higher point than the end to which the cleaning device is attached, so that no fluid runs out of the pipe. The shaft I8 is, of course-small enough to enter the bore l2 in the pipe stem.

It will be understood that in this device the spring may be omitted, as shown in Fig. 5, and reliance placed entirely on the resiliency of the bulb l4, in which case the walls of the bulb will preferably be made thick enough to provide the necessary force to withdraw the scrubbing device after the bulb has been compressed.

Referring to Fig. 2, another form of the device is shown in which the syringe is of the type comprising a cylinder of metal tubing or the like, having a reciprocating piston 3| mounted on a shaft 32 intermediate its ends as by horseshoe clips 33 or other securing devices inserted in grooves or otherwise attached to the shaft 32. Finger rings 35 are provided for holding the cylinder and the piston is actuated by a ring 36 into which the thumb may be inserted. This apparatus makes possible a positive force applied by the user in either direction. The withdrawing action may be aided by a spring 38 if desired, which bears at one end on the cap 39 on the cylinder and at the other end on a washer 40. The discharge end of the cylinder 30 is inserted in a fluid-sealing device 4| which may be made of rubber or similar resilient material and which has a cylindrical aperture 42 closely fitting the cylinder 30, a flared face 44 to contact the inside edge of a pipe bowl and a mouth section 45 similar to the portion 26 of the bulb [4 in the embodiment of Fig. 1. The operation of this device is similar to that of the form first described, fluid being drawn into the lower portion of the cylinder 3!! below the piston 3|. The aperture 46 in the member 4| is large enough to provide an annular space around'the shaft 32 for the passage of fluid. The opening in cap 39 through which shaft 32 passes may be large enough to permit passage of air or holes 48 may be provided in the cap.

It is to be understood that the foregoing embodiments described in detail are merely illustrative of the invention which is to be construed broadly within the purview of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tobacco pipe cleaning device comprising, a syringe having a fluid chamber and a fluid outlet communicating with said chamber, resilient means surrounding said outlet for making a fluid tight contact between said syringe and a pipe part surrounding a pipe orifice to be cleaned, a shaft carried by said syringe and passing through said outlet and adapted to reciprocate upon actuation of the syringe, and scrubbing means carried by said shaft and adapted to extend into and scrub the walls of said pipe orifice when said shaft is reciprocated.

2. A tobacco pipe cleaning device comprising, a syringe having a fluid chamber and a fluid outlet communicating with said chamber, resilient means surrounding said outlet for making a fluid tight contact between said Syringe and a pipe part surrounding a pipe orifice to be cleaned, a shaft carried by said syringe and passing through said outlet and adapted to reciprocate upon actuation of the syringe, and scrubbing means carried by said shaft and adapted to extend into and scrub the walls of said pipe orifice when said shaft is reciprocated, the space between said fluid outlet and said shaft being sufficient to permit fluid to pass when the syringe is actuated but small enough to effectively prevent fluid from running out by gravity alone.

3. A tobacco pipe cleaning device comprising a syringe having a cylinder, a piston fitting the bore thereof, and a fluid outlet, means surrounding said outlet for making a fluid tight contact with a pipe part surrounding a pipe orifice to be cleaned, a shaft extending through said outlet and adapted to reciprocate with said piston, and scrubbing means carried by the end of said shaft adapted to scrub the walls of said orifice when said piston is reciprocated.

4. A tobacco pipe cleaning device comprising a resilient hollow bulb having a fluid outlet, the portion of said bulb surrounding said outlet having a configuration adapted to make a fluid tight contact with a pipe part surrounding a pipe orifice to be cleaned, a shaft extending through said outlet and said bulb to the opposite wall thereof, means securing said shaft to said opposite wall, and scrubbing means secured to that end of said shaft which extends through said outlet adapted to scrub the walls of said orifice when said shaft is reciprocated.

5. A tobacco pipe cleaning device comprising a resilient hollow bulb having a fluid outlet, means on said bulb surrounding said outlet for making a fluid tight contact with a pipe part surrounding a pipe orifice to be cleaned, a shaft extending through said outlet and said bulb and attached to the wall thereof opposite said outlet, a spring within said bulb normally urging said shaft toward said opposite wall, and scrubbing means for said orifice secured to the end of said shaft and adapted to reciprocate in said pipe orifice.

GEORGE T. THOMAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 233,238 Halbert Oct. 12, 1880 399,576 Slocum Mar. 12, 1889 614,861 Hamm et a1 Nov. 29, 1898 1,132,728 Liebig et a1. Mar. 23, 1915 2,144,419 Slocumb Jan. 1'7, 1939 

